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Boxee alpha boasts API, Hulu-stomping browser and Pandora
Boxee is having a massive meet-up in NYC tonight and is unveiling a new version of the alpha that brings more features, some Hulu manageability, and a new API. Fire up the update function in your Apple TV or OS X copies of boxee and get in on the fun!Tonight's new release brings in some new features and workarounds to existing services: The excellent music service, Pandora, is now built-into boxee, using the new boxee API Speaking of the API, it should now be easier than ever for users to contribute add-ons to the project to integrate new service BoxeeHQ has launched its PBS App Box app. It's pretty solid and provides access to many of public broadcasting's best content A new XUL-based browser for Hulu and other content. This is big, because XUL is the framework that Mozilla uses for Firefox, meaning, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to restrict access to RSS streams accessed by boxee. RadioTime support for over 100,000 terrestrial radio stations that can be streamed worldwide. If you are on your Apple TV, just go to the Downloads section in Launcher and grab the latest version. Mac users can either download the latest version from boxee.tv or use the new auto-update feature to grab the latest release.And of course, controlling boxee is now even easier using the free remote for the iPhone and iPod touch.
boxee releases new "bleeding edge" alpha, inks deal with Pandora
Now that ZeeVee's back in business with its much improved Zinc broadband video portal, boxee actually has some serious competition to keep an eye on. That said, the company is hosting a meetup in NYC tonight in order to launch a new "bleeding edge" alpha that will integrate Pandora radio / RadioTime and showcase a more robust API. Furthermore, you'll find a fresh XUL-based framework for the boxee browser to enable the app to more easily interact with any web-based video, and as if that wasn't enough, there will also be a PBS application baked in. We have to say, we're pretty impressed with the regularity of updates coming to boxee -- now, if only those big networks would allow hit shows to be broadcast online live alongside their TV airings, we'd be in television heaven. The full announcement is after the break.
Boxee launches update, "App Box" and Hulu RSS support
My favorite media center software, boxee, has just released a new alpha update for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 users and Apple TV users. This update, which the boxee team classifies as bleeding-edge (which means, if you don't want to deal with any potential bugs, wait for the more stable release scheduled for March 24, 2009) adds the "App Box" -- boxee's version of the App Store, automatic updates, and most excitingly, a new video-optimized RSS reader. The new RSS reader allows users to access Hulu's public RSS feeds directly from boxee. Two weeks ago, boxee was forced to remove Hulu streams from its service. As boxee noted in its blog, users aren't going to wait around for Hulu's content providers to get with the program, or for an official agreement to be ironed out. Within hours of the initial Hulu shutdown, industrious coders created alternatives anyway; those alternatives were thwarted, rebuilt, thwarted again, and the game continues on. Although the RSS feed implementation isn't as slick or as quick as boxee's stand-alone app was, it's a start. Plus, on my 40" Samnsung HDTV, the quality wasn't bad at all. Playback was a little more stilted than via the direct boxee app, but it is certainly more than watchable. Boxee's "App Box," which is similar to the Plex App Store, utilizes a lot of video source plugins previously available from places like BoxeeHQ. Now the installation process is one-click, and not a bunch of steps. Right now, the only repository of apps set by default is the official repository, which contains add-ons built by boxee or trusted sources, but you can easily add access to additional sources as they crop up (dir.boxeehq.com will get you access to every BoxeeHQ app). Some of the new sources that are especially cool: TED Talks and Boing!Boing! video. BoxeeHQ is prepping a PBS app for the March 24th boxee release, so lots of cool stuff is on the way.To download the latest boxee release, head over to app.boxee.tv, head over to Download and download the Mac version. Apple TV boxee users just need to go to Downloads in the Launcher menu (where Boxee and XBMC are located) and grab the latest version (it'll say 0.9.9.5324 test version) that way. If you need to put boxee on your Apple TV, head over to the ATV-USB Creator page and you can get all the information you need to create a patchstick.I've updated my Apple TV and my MacBook and I'm digging the new features. What do you think?
